Detailing World Forum banner

2002 Citroen Xsara VTS - another old French bird!!

180K views 616 replies 65 participants last post by  Ben_W 
#1 · (Edited)
So, here we go!

To quote something musical which I've not done for a while, Ice Cube had it right. Today was a good day (ask your dad kids :D )

With the buggy sold and the bank swelled with funds, I did the right thing and pacified the wife by buying a new dining table and promising her a posh holiday next year, on the proviso I could buy myself a new, cheap(ish) toy. Agreement was forthcoming.

I considered several cars. A white Rallye (they are the hottest ticket in Rallye world with another selling in the last two weeks for £5k but I have a Rallye already), a Clio F1 (very nice but not the cheapest) and several other more recent hot hatches. Nothing really, really took my fancy. I then bought the Xsara to break and wondered.........what if? The Citroen half of the late 90's hot hatch pairing.....wouldn't look bad on the drive, would it?

So I began looking. And looking. And looking a bit more. Crap, these are a bit thin on the ground. I found more Rallyes for sale than I did Xsaras. Hmmmmm............and then.....an advert appears on Gumtree and nowhere else, advertising a 2002 MY, 51 plate Xsara VTS, with 57k on the clock and two previous owners, in silver. 57k.......!!!!!!! How many 16 year old sports hatches have that mileage. This is the ad........



It HAD to be worth a look at that mileage and that history. Original P6000's (ditchfinders? But period correct!) Older lady owner for a long time? Deffo not been thrashed then. Decent MOT history backing up the sellers story. Trouble was, I wasn't free until Sunday. At this point, I made the mistake of sharing the link and my plans with someone. That, along with a lesson well learned, is all I'm going to say publicly.

Details being what they are, I noticed the seller had reduced the price to £300 on Sunday night. Much frantic phonecalling, which resulted in me getting a voice mail message numerous times finally paid off with the seller picking up at 21:37 on a Sunday night.

I apologised profusely for the time of my call. It had to be right then otherwise I'd have lost it. I told the seller I knew what had transpired the day before (I apologise again for the cryptic sh!t but like the walls, the internet has ears) and had a lengthy discussion with him regarding the car, offering some advice after asking some questions. The £300 was a result of what he had been told (I'll share privately for those of you I know who ask). An agreement was made that he'd get some advice by lunchtime Monday and I'd go view Monday night after work as it's 50 miles from work. I remember thinking at this point this now turning into some Lincolndanny esque press car kinda chase :D

Mid afternoon, I text the seller as I've heard nothing. He replies, confirming some info I had been after, and crucially, what someone else had offered him and that he was considering accepting. Act cool Trig, act cool.......

I left work dead on time and hightailed it to where he was. I arrived at 17:40 and immediately knew I was onto something. This was my view parking up.





Seller met me at the door and was very keen to show me the car. It was as he said. Completely original, very, very clean (some stone chips etc but very clean) and, completely bog standard.

Having satisfied myself the major component was good, I got busy looking round, especially underneath.

Just wow. This thing is clean. I mean really clean.







.

Doesn't look like it's ever seen a jack, let alone one in the wrong place. The spare even seems to have an original Michelin.....



The rest of it, whilst a little dirty in places, is honest, rust free and just in need of a clean.











A time capsule car. Went for a drive, it drove well enough. Went back, looked through a mountain of history which again, matched the MOT history. I knew at this point I had to have it. Asked what it would take to buy it. Seller said make it an offer. £850 prompted a forthcoming handshake. Deposit immediately transferred (mobile app internet banking, bloody ace!)

In truth, I think I stole it. I've picked up what has to be one of the cleanest, low mileage Xsara VTS's left. Plans are to collect Friday, giving me a whole weekend to really get into/under it. I cannot wait.

Sorry to disappoint Mr Lincoln....I did have a chance at a Ph1 in that green/yellow but had been sat 18 months and the seller wanted £1k.....
 
See less See more
13
#610 ·
Don't these break for decent money and you could have the rust free sections and stuff for your rallye as spares.
Yeah, they do. £1500+ for this one in bits. Except this one is way, way too good to break. In fact, I think.youd be hard pushed to find a better Ph2, maybe a Xsara VTS as a whole.

I've got all the bits I need for my Rallye, and 4 floor pan sections from the last VTS's I broke.....this one is just far too good to ever be broken imho
 
#612 ·
I can’t believe what I’ve just read in the final 10 posts!!!

I’ve just read this entire thread today and to get this far and now see that it’s ‘Moving on time’ is depressing... but needs must!

Always loved your threads Ben and this has been a fantastic read!
All the best with the White rallye, because I’m sure this will get snapped up soon
 
#614 ·
Well, it's not a definite yet on the sale. If I'm offered what I'm after (£2.5k for anyone reading who's interested, which personally, I think it's worth all day long and certainly will appreciate) then I'll let it go and grab the while Rallye. As much as I love my red one, whites grown on me, a lot.....

But, if the white one sells, which I suspect it might before the Xsara does, then the Xsara will stay and this thread will continue!!

Karlos, don't be sad, other than start modifying it, there isn't much else to do to the Xsara other than enjoy it. There isn't a single thing, other than have the original alloys refurbed and maybe just the roof painted that I think needs doing. Other than that, it's just a car to jump in and enjoy a bit of classic French hot hatch action!!
 
#615 ·
So, i didn't update this is seems....it didn't go. It's still here.

And actually, I'm glad I kept it. I've got my red Rallye, now a blue GTi6 too and the Xsara just kind of tops off the collection.

I've been using it for the new work commute for the last couple of weeks. Need to sort the exhaust on the 6 before I use it any more. It's been a really good car for commuting. It's far more comfortable than the 6 and will turn 40mpg if I try(I think the 6 might do with a non blowing exhaust!) and it's been fine until Friday last week.

Jumped in and off to work I went and noticed a rythmic throbbing sound is the best best I can describe it, which got faster the quicker I went. No difference with clutch in or out, so not drive train related, but spent away when I steered right. Had my suspicions it was a wheel bearing so finished work early Friday afternoon and took it to Carl at CG Cars. He had it put on ramps and checked. Sure enough, nearside front wheel bearing was rough.

Booked it in for today and asked for an oil change too. Although it's only circa 2k miles since I bought it and did it, the dash display (based on time as well as miles I think) was saying less than 300 miles until service so had Carl do an oil and filter on it as well. Got a nice little 308 as a courtesy car and picked the Xsara up in my way home tonight. All sorted and no more nasty noise!
 
#616 ·
So.......there are big changes on the horizon for the Ben_W fleet, details of which will be revealed shortly. Changes which are going to pretty much, sadly, drive the need to shed one of the cars from my fleet.....and its going to be the Xsara that goes.

You've all known the history of this car, because I've lived it here, with you. Package would be comprehensive. It would be back on a refurbed set of VTS alloys, a spare set of alloys included, a set of adjustable Koni suspension for all round on the car, with the fronts refurbished, milltek stainless cat back exhaust and aside from the red VTS badges, pretty much standard all over and throughout.

I don't want silly money for it. Whilst it's a really clean, low mileage, very original example, it's ranking on the desirability stakes has always been low, despite its handling and performance brilliance.a it is a Marmite car.

So you know where I am if interested. If not, it's likely going to appear across Facebook and other selling mediums in the next few days
 
#617 ·
So, the Xsara is sold and as of tomorrow, makes it way to a new home.

I put it up for sale on Sunday night of the bank holiday weekend, about 10:30 at night, on the Citroen Car Club Facebook page. Within 5 minutes, I'd had three serious, interested parties message me for further details. That then led to one of them (who turned out to be a Citroen Specialist) phoning me Monday, saying he could come and look on Wednesday evening. He said he was 99% sure he'd have it.....

Another one of the contacts then asked if they could put a deposit down on it and offered me more than the asking price (they offered me their valuation of it) to secure it! I said I wanted to get it through an MOT first, then we'd talk, just incase there was something I didn't know about. As it was, it passed straight away anyway. I'd dropped the car at CG Cars on Monday night, got a message as I was walking out of the house to work saying it had passed......this was 7:40 in the morning! Top work from Carl as ever!

Messaged the guy, deposit left, car sold and off the market. Gets collected tomorrow. I've sold it as a package, so it's the car and all the Xsara bits I've got which will go with it. As much as I hate to admit it, the wife is right. I don't need 4 cars. Long term, the 306 will be the better financial investment, which is why I've let the Xsara go. I'll be sad, but pleased as she seems to be going to a good home.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top